Good Friday

I definitely got to experience the penitential side of Good Friday when I worked my first Good Friday at the parish yesterday. It started with a neighbourhood event at noon, which I couldn't fully participate in as I would have liked to but duty called elsewhere in the 11th hour preparation of RCIA certificates, fighting with the typewriter from heck, and then, my favourite line of the day which came from the pastor two hours before the Good Friday service was to begin: "So, have you prepared everything for Good Friday?"

What?!

Apparently he failed to mention that he thought I would look after setting up and preparing for all of the Triduum liturgies, especially since he hadn't booked himself to do any more of them since Holy Thursday. So, that got me jump started and seeking out the seminarian who, by the grace of God, knows what he is doing, and the two of us put together both Good Friday liturgies in under an hour. This included training the altar servers, cross bearers and the "saliva boys" as we referred to the little men recruited to wipe down the cross in between each veneration.

As he was hugging us all goodbye, I whispered to the first presider thank you for using inclusive language in the petitions. Those are some old school petitions that really need to be adjusted to reflect modern reality. He smiled knowingly when I said, "I'm pretty sure I won't hear that update at the next service." Sure enough, I didn't. I considered the second Good Friday liturgy my penance.

Since the pastor asked the question, "So, have you prepared everything for Good Friday?" I'm going to take that to mean that I will be fully responsible for such things in Triduum 2010. Although I wasn't going to go for the Vigil tonight, I have since changed my mind and will show up about 3 hours early to plan and set up with the seminarian so I know what I am doing and can take copious notes. I will stay until the Liturgy of the Word gets underway and from there on out, I am sure I can recreate things next year.

I hope.